Ford, you need to do better!

Sunrise, 10 Dec 2010 at 7:27 a.m.

According to my latest mailing from the Union of Concerned Scientists, of which I am a member (I am not a scientist, but I am concerned), Ford, GM and Chrysler are at the bottom of the UCS’s Automaker Rankings 2010 report.  (The full report can be viewed at www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles)  The rankings were based on average per-mile smog and global warming emissions.  The higher the score, the more the vehicles polluted the atmosphere.

Ford came in just over the industry average at 108. Only GM and Chrysler ranked below Ford. Why am I concerned about Ford?  We drive a Ford.  A lot of people drive Fords.  People drive Fords because they are affordable and, for the most part, dependable.

Honda and Toyota were at the top of the rankings.  Their cars contributed the least amount of pollution to our atmosphere.

In the United States, passenger vehicles account for about 20 percent of US global warming emissions.  Here in my flyover state, we love our cars.  We bought a Ford Freestar van in 2006, before the economic debacle and the rising gasoline prices.  We did it solely because we have five grandchildren whom we like to take on little trips. We didn’t buy a Honda Odyssey because we could not afford a Honda Odyssey.  We can afford a Ford.

Ford needs to up its game and produce cleaner automobiles, while maintaining an affordable price.  Come on, Ford, you can do it.  You are the world's fourth largest automaker.  You have been around over 100 years.  We know you can do better than your current performance.